When we talk about Puerto Rico's cuisine, we refer to Boricua cuisine, influenced by the Tainos, Spaniards, African slaves, the United States, and currently by Italian and French culinary influences.
The Tainos and their ancestors have been living in present-day Puerto Rico for 5500 years. They were mainly farmers, using techniques like the conuco system with irrigation. Their main crops included corn, yuca, and sweet potato.
With the arrival of Spanish conquerors, the Tainos disintegrated due to brutal treatment, Old World diseases, and emigration to neighboring islands. However, many cultural elements, including their food habits, continue to survive in Puerto Rico.
The Spaniards brought their customs and cuisine, incorporating ingredients like onion, garlic, cilantro, eggplant, and chickpeas. They also adopted and adapted practices from the Tainos, replacing wheat bread with yuca bread, known as casabe, because wheat could not be cultivated in the tropical climate.
African influence is evident in the seasoning and flavors of many dishes enjoyed today. African slaves brought rice and plantains to the island, and some dishes retain African sounds, such as the quingambó or guiso quimbombó in Puerto Rico, or the famous Puerto Rican dish, mofongo—a delicious preparation made with fried green plantains mashed and seasoned with garlic, chicharrón, and pork lard.
